You Get What You Paid For Ch. 01

I head into the kitchen once I'm relatively satisfied with how things are looking, going straight for the gin. I take two decent swigs out of the bottle, wincing and feeling my stomach turn before the alcohol gives me that relaxing, warming sensation. Hopefully that helps calm my fucking nerves. I can't believe I'm doing this. What would Miguel say?

Minutes later, I hear the knock on the door and freeze, nervous all over again. Relax, Teddy. This will be fine. You've gotten nothing but good vibes from this guy. Just relax and let him make you feel good.

I answer the door after clearing my throat a few times and smile at him. "Hey!" he says cheerily, looking me up and down. I do the same to him. Should I have put pants on? I'm still just in my fucking underwear and a stupid t-shirt. Jesus Christ, I didn't even shower! God, I'm a mess. And he's so well-put-together right now, dressed in his snug jeans and a denim jacket. "I'm diggin' the underwear," he says with a chuckle.

It's probably the pattern. Has Pacman symbols all over it. I just smile. "Thanks," I say, stepping aside to let him in. I get a whiff of his cologne as he passes. Damn, he smells good too.

"Nice place," he says, looking around curiously before his eyes fix on me. "Should I do something with my shoes?"

"What? Oh. Um. Just leave 'em by the door," I say, appreciating how respectful he is even though things are still a bit messy. I tidied up as much as possible, but it's not exactly the picture of someone who has their shit together. He unlaces his boots and sets them appropriately by the door before taking off his jacket. Underneath, he's wearing a simple black t-shirt tucked into his jeans, along with a long gold necklace. How does he make such a simple outfit look so chic? I'd look like a fucking chump. "You look good," I find myself saying. "Even better in person."

He laughs. "Thank you," he says, eyeing me now. "Not half bad yourself." I see his eyes scan the features of my face and I feel self-conscious for a moment.

"I'm a mess," I say, running my hands over my short beard. Usually I keep a clean-shaven face, but I've let it all grow out lately. I honestly like the look. But maintenance is key, and I haven't been taking care of myself lately.

"Not at all," he says, smiling.

I smile slightly before looking away. "Do you, um, want anything? Water or something?"

"I'm all set," he says. "Thanks, though."

"Sure."

He looks at me with an expectant grin before saying "Wanna show me the bedroom?"

"Oh. Right. Yeah, sure," I say, scratching my head and leading the way around the corner into the master bedroom. If I cleaned things up a bit, it'd be much nicer, but Clark set me up really well. The bedroom is my favorite part of the place: spacious enough to not feel suffocated even with such a big bed, but cozy enough to feel comfortable without being too open. Plus, being towards the top floor, I can open the doors to the balcony and enjoy a fantastic view of the city. It's a warm night, so I have the doors opened a crack. "Ignore the mess if there's any," I say, my eyes scanning the floor for loose clothing.

"Wouldn't bother me," he says. "Although, I gotta say, you have a pretty nice setup here, Ted," he adds, and when I look over at him, he's checking out the space with intrigue.

"Thanks."

"Is it expensive?"

"A bit pricey," I admit, "but I know the landlord."

He looks at me with a knowing grin. "Oh?"

I blush. "Not like that," I say, laughing in an embarrassed manner. "Just, he helps me out."

"Hey, I don't judge," he says playfully, chuckling.

"Okay."

He smiles at me for a moment before he takes it upon himself to lie on the bed, patting the spot next to me. "C'mere," he says. "Let's have a little chat."

So we talk, mostly about me. He's full of questions. When was my last kiss? Who was it with? When was my last fuck? Who was it with? How does a normal hookup unfold for me? What am I comfortable with? What are my limits? What really turns me on, every time, without fail? What would I like him to do to me? Is there anything I'd like to do to him? This comprehensive questionnaire seems strange but necessary, and even though I feel awkward answering these questions, he's doing it for my benefit. This will only help me in the long run, right?

I answer his last question with something more playful ("There's a LOT I'd like to do to you") before we both laugh. Then, he asks me another question. "Still feeling nervous?"

"A little," I say bashfully. "But I took a couple shots, so..."

He laughs. "Sometimes that helps," he says, smiling. "I told you, I'll take care of you. I'm here for you, remember?"

"Yeah."

"I don't bite unless you want me to, either," he adds with a grin, but I wince. He laughs at my reaction. "Sorry, too corny?"

"No, no," I say. "It's just... something my ex used to say." I still hate using that phrase. "My ex." But I don't know what else to refer to him as.

"Aw, sorry," he says. "Recent break up?"

"Um. Not really." Usually when discussion of Miguel gets this far, I switch the subject. But I don't know what compels me to tell this escort I paid to come over, but I spill. "He died."

He looks at me with wide eyes, his playfulness disappearing for a moment, replaced with complete, sincere concern. "Teddy," he says, putting his hand on my arm.

"It's okay," I assure him. "It happened a while ago." Long enough for people to tell me that I should be over it, at least. "Almost exactly a year ago, actually. I don't know. I think I've just been feeling crazy lonely lately because of it."

"Jesus, I'm so sorry, Ted," he says in such a different voice than what I've heard thus far. I almost feel worse for upsetting him. "Is that why you haven't really done anything?" he asks me, referring to the large gap in my sexual history.

I nod. "Nothing felt right, and eventually I just kinda... gave up." I remember the last guy I somewhat fooled around with. It was months after Miguel was mugged and killed, and I was drunk, and he was a sweet guy, exceptionally kind to me. We kissed and touched each other a bit but I couldn't for the life of me get into it. Couldn't get it up. I offered to blow him because I felt bad, but I never called him after that night. I just knew I couldn't get back into the swing of things. And that was months and months ago.

"Don't give up," he says earnestly. "I obviously can't and shouldn't speak for HIM, so this is coming from me: don't give up. I gave up too and it only drew out how long I was miserable for."

I blink. "Did something happen to you too?"

He looks away for a moment as if deciding whether or not he wants to talk about it. I'm sure he probably doesn't get in this deep on a first date with his other clients. "The first person I was ever in love with died. Car accident," he says with a sad smile.

Both my gut and my heart lurch forward. I feel the saddest form of kinship between us during this moment, and (having already felt pretty vulnerable to begin with) I almost want to cry. In fact, my eyes are watering right now. "Oh my God, I'm so-"

"You don't have to apologize," he says quickly. "It was in high school, so I've had a lot of time to, you know, work through it." He rubs my arm affectionately before giving it a squeeze. "But I'm telling you because I want you to know that I understand what you've been going through."

What a lovely guy. I can't help but sense nothing but sincerity from him. "How long did it take you to... be okay again?" I ask, trying to blink the tears away.

"Several years," he says with a grimace. I frown. Fuck, I hope that's not me. I'm trying my best here - and I think he recognizes that. "But I was only a kid. I didn't know how to deal with anything. You'll get through it," he says, giving me a soft smile. "Just put yourself out there. Start dating again. Remind yourself what you deserve."

I think he understands that it's easier said than done, but I appreciate the sentiment regardless. I just don't know how to get over something like this. I thought I had it all, and then it was taken from me. If Clark hadn't been there to support me through my grief and keep me from relapsing, I don't know what would have happened. I smile back at him before wiping a stray tear off my cheek and laughing. "You probably didn't expect to get this heavy when you came over," I say.

He laughs. "I definitely didn't," he says. "But it's okay."

"Guess this is my first step to 'getting out there again'," I say with a laugh. I don't want to completely dampen the mood, but I do want to know more about him, so I continue on this vein. "Do YOU date? With the job and whatnot?"

"Yeah," he says hesitantly before laughing. "It's... not easy. Usually my dates bail when they find out what I do for work. Plus," he adds, holding up a finger, "it can be a problem if I both date and work locally."

"Yeah?"

"Oh yeah," he says with a chuckle. "Example: one of my exes, when I went to meet her parents, I recognized her dad."

"Oh no," I say, a wide smile appearing on my face. That can only mean one thing...

"Oh yes," he says bitterly. "I had fucked her dad like six months prior."

I burst out laughing. "Holy shit."

"Yeah, that was awkward to say the least," he says with a slight grimace before laughing along with me.

"I'm assuming that didn't last long."

"You'd assume correctly," he says, smiling and shaking his head.

I can't even imagine something like that happening to me. Then again, before I met Miguel, I did have a thing for older guys. So I suppose, under the right (or wrong) circumstances, if I was still fucking around a lot, something similar could have happened to me by now. "So you date girls too?" I ask him.

He raises an eyebrow. "Too?"

"Yeah, like, as well as guys."

"Oh!" he says, seeming to understand my question. "Oh, no. I'm straight."

I pause. What? Straight? Did I hear that correctly? I almost laugh in his face. "Sorry, what?"

He laughs softly. "Yeah, I know it's weird."

He's serious, isn't he? "You're actually straight?"

"Yep. Is that cool with you?"

"I..." Huh? "Is that cool with YOU?" I ask back, surprised and confused. Now I'm looking at him differently.

He laughs again. "I escort for both men and women, if that makes you feel better," he says.

"But... why men at all?"

"There are waaay more men in the city looking for escorts than there are women," he says.

That makes sense. At any point in history, that would be the case. The money is where the men are. "Wow," I say, slightly amazed. A straight dude who escorts for bi and gay guys? Now I'm even more intrigued. "Do you... I don't know. Do you like it?"

"The job?" he asks. "Yeah, I like the job."

Not necessarily what I meant, but I'll take it. "Even if you're having sex with guys?"

"Sure. It's just a job. And it's kind of nice being able to give people what they want, you know?" he says, shrugging. "I'm a pleaser."

I bet you are, handsome. "Are there things you just don't do?" I ask. "As a straight guy."

"Well there are things I don't do in general, whether or not it's with a guy," he says. "But with guys specifically? I don't really like playing catcher. I'll do it sometimes, but it's just not my thing. Harder for me to get into. Hope that's okay with you," he adds.

"No, that's fine," I say, not at all minding being the bottom. "I'm pretty easy-going in bed."

"I get that vibe," he says with a smile.

I stare at him for a moment before I blurt out "I'm sorry, but I'm so intrigued by the straight thing."

He laughs. "Do I fascinate you?"

"Yes."

"You're sweet," he says. "Honestly, you've been a breath of fresh air so far. When people find out I'm straight, they immediately wanna do all this weird shit to me. And, between you and me, my last couple clients were not great."

"Crazies?" I ask.

"Just, creepy, you know? Just the way that they talk to you and whatnot. Plus, the last guy I escorted took my condom home because he wanted my cum."

I let out the most sudden, ugliest laugh. "Sorry, but... you should probably get that back," I say between laughs.

He winces but chuckles. "You're probably right."

When I compose myself, I pat his arm. "I promise I won't do anything weird like that."

He smiles. "ARE you into anything weird?"

"Not really," I admit. Sometimes I feel embarrassed by that fact, but with him? No. "I'm kinda basic." We touched on a few things earlier. All I could say was kissing, lots of oral, fucking, body contact... Guess my favorite flavor is vanilla after all.

"Well it's a good foundation," he says, smiling. "In the mood for anything in particular tonight, though?"

Oh. So... are we getting into it now? "Um..." Then I laugh. "I don't know. It still feels weird telling you what I want."

"Don't feel weird about it," he says. "If you tell me, I can provide."

I bite my lip a bit as I look at him before speaking. "Well, I like it a bit romantic."

He grins. "You really are a teddy bear, aren't you?"

I blush. "Is that okay?"

"It's perfect," he says, sitting up slightly. "Looking for more of a roleplay situation, or...?"

"No, we don't have to go that deep," I say with a laugh. "Just... you know, good feelings and all that."

"Good feelings. Gotcha." He chuckles a bit before he sits up fully and then shifts onto his knees. I peer up at him as he slowly takes his shirt off, and I ogle his form. God, he's attractive... His body looks just like in his pictures, right down to the subtle "V" near his waist. I swallow thickly, feeling nervous. My body doesn't match up to his as well. But then again, he's straight, right? He doesn't care how I compare. Fuck, this is so weird.

He beckons me up, and so I kneel in front of him, letting him reach forward, grab the hem of my shirt, and slowly pull it off of me. Once it's off of my head, I fuss with my hair a bit, which makes him smile before he puts his hands on my sides. "Want me to kiss you?"

I swallow, my heart racing. This is it, right? Time to see how I respond to another man. I just nod, licking my lips as he leans forward. I taste the mint on his breath before our lips even make contact, and when they do, I'm hesitant at first. I laugh softly against his lips before kissing him back, letting him snake his arms around me a little more until our torsos are pressed against each other's. I follow his lead, letting him take the reins as he guides me through a slow, intimate kiss. And then, he spices it up by softly biting on my lower lip. I let out a mix between a whimper and a laugh. That move right there, the lip-biting? That always gets to me.

"What?" he asks, grinning.

"Nothing. I just love that," I tell him. So much that I feel myself chubbing up in my underwear, right against his crotch.

He smirks and says "Good" before doing it again, this time tugging slightly until my lip slaps back against my teeth. I lick my lips before he ropes me in for more kisses with the intensity turned up a notch. His grip on me gets a little tighter as he moves his lips over to my neck and kisses me there. I let out a soft moan, letting my hands run down his back. I almost want to grab his ass, but I'm unsure. He mentioned he didn't like bottoming, but does that mean his ass is totally off limits? He probably has the most edible peach around.

"I just realized," I start to say, laughing as he sucks on my neck, "that I don't even know your name." There was no real introduction from him. I only know him as a screenname.

He laughs before saying "It's Adam" right in my ear.

Adam. Hi, Adam. He leans back in and resumes the slow kissing and teasing against my sensitive neck. I can't help but notice how sure his movements are, how firm his grip on me is. I feel oddly safe right now, my anxiety and awkwardness shrinking more and more with each tender kiss. He moves more towards my shoulder and, at the same time, starts pulling my underwear down.

"Lie down for me," he whispers, and my body does as instructed without so much as a second thought. I rest on my back in the middle of the bed as Adam hunches over me, his gold chain dangling from his neck. I glance down between my legs as he hooks his fingers into my underwear and slowly pulls my briefs down my legs. My pubes come into view first, then the base of my cock, and then the shaft as it's set free. I lift my legs to make it easier for him to strip me naked. "Relax for me, handsome," he says, hitting me with a charming smile before he bends down and puts his face between my legs. I gasp slightly, feeling his combination of soft lips and light scruff working along my inner thighs. He kisses back and forth slowly, making me tense up the closer he gets to my cock. I can't help but be nervous. I'm sporting a semi right now, which is impressive on its own, but what if I can't really get it up? It's hardly something to be ashamed about and yet, it's so easy to let yourself feel the crushing weight of embarrassment. Too much pride is put into our cocks.

But Adam nuzzles his face into my balls, and as soon as his lips make contact, I feel the blood pulsing through my shaft. Damn, this guy really knows how to act romantic. Tender, loving kisses. Soft laps. The lightest bit of suction. And he slowly makes his way up my shaft until he gets to the tip. I watch him wrap his slender fingers around the base of my cock and hold it up. By the time his lips reach the head of my cock, I am fully hard. And fully willing.

I moan once he finally takes me into his mouth. He looks up at me and sucks slowly, pulling my dick gently towards his mouth as he slides up and down. Okay, straight boy. You clearly know what you're doing. I lick my lips and feel my hips raising on their own, trying to get deeper into his mouth. I stop myself though, not wanting to put him off. But this guy is full of surprises, because, in response, he takes me right into his throat, deeper, deeper, deeper, and then holds. My mouth drops as a choked moan escapes my throat. Fuck. Even I can't do that.

He pulls off slowly, saliva coating my cock and making it shine as he takes a breath. He gives it a few good, deep strokes before he catches me looking at him. He smiles before kissing the head and then going right back down on me, constantly swapping between a handjob and a blowjob. I lie back and just let him do his job, feeling my legs spreading even more to give him better access. Do your worst, Adam.

After a few minutes, he slides off and then starts slowly kissing up my body. I laugh when he kisses my stomach, feeling ticklish there, and he chuckles as he makes his way up to my lips and then kisses me. Something about that moment felt so erotic, so adorably sexy, that all the negative energy I was feeling completely evaporates.

"Did you shower?" he asks me.

And, now it's back. The embarrassment, nervousness, anxiety, ten-fold. "Oh my God," I groan. "Do I smell bad?"

"What?" He laughs. "No, no. Not at all."

But I'm not hearing it. "I'm so sorry, I completely forgot to shower before you got here."

"It's okay, Teddy, really," he says, amused. "You smell totally good. I like a bit of musk." He could just be saying that to make me feel better, but in a way, it works. I relax a little. "I just wanted to know because I wanted to rim you."

I replay his choice of words in my head. HE wants to rim me. A straight guy said he wants to go down on my ass. I can't deny that's pretty fucking hot. "Oh," I say, blinking. "Well, um. I can hop in the shower, if you want me to."

He smiles. "Only if I can join you."

"Y-yeah," I say, laughing a little. "Sure." But then I let my eyes slide down between us. "Can you, um... get naked first?"

He grins and then sits up in front of me on his knees, slowly undoing his belt and then the button. THIS is the type of stripper I need, gentlemen. Some one-on-one time with a terribly hot guy. A STRAIGHT one, no less. Man, I'm really living out this fantasy tonight, watching him slowly undo his zipper. And then I gulp. He's not wearing underwear. He puts his thumbs in two belt loops to slowly push his jeans off his hips.